Dartford Council may miss out on £325m after failing a Government IT initiative, designed to make public service information available on the web.

The Tory party mauled the council for coming in the bottom six per cent of all local authorities in the country for failing to meet the key national policy guidelines,

It demanded the resignation of Councillor Andrew Sawford, the cabinet member responsible.

Cllr Sawford submitted an unsatisfactory statement on Implementing Electronic Government to the Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions (DTLR) in July.

The outcome was leaked to the national Press in October.

In a letter to the council, the DTLR said: "The department has completed its analysis. Unfortunately your Implementing Electronic Government statement has been assessed as unsatisfactory.

"Consequently your authority will currently not be eligible to receive a share of the Local Government Online resources allocated to local authorities."

Opposition leader Councillor David Leadbeater, who was one of eight councillors who called for the resignation of Cllr Sawford, said: "I'm not used to standing here and being one of only 20 councils which have failed a key government policy. There were times when this type of problem would have been discussed in the open.

"Instead, we read about it in the national press.

"There was a concerted attempt by the council at concealment."

He added: "Nobody read the bidding guidance from the DTLR which came out in February 2001.

"The objectives were clear. They were not met.

"That is why we are calling for Sawford's resignation."

But the council has been given a second chance by the DTLR to meet the criteria.

It had until today, November 7, and is currently in contact with DTLR officers to address the three specific areas its IEG statement failed to meet.

These are:

- risk analysis

- integration with national projects

- front and back office integration

Responding to calls for his resignation and the electronic government policy failure, Cllr Andy Sawford said: "Nothing is lost at this stage.

"We still have the opportunity to gain access to government resources.

"I hope this unfortunate incident will help me get the attention electronic government deserves from the council."

The council voted against the motion for Cllr Sawford to resign by 20 votes to eight.

November 6, 2001 15:30